THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 14, 2024

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/N. Djokovic

6-2, 6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Novak, obviously not the result you were looking for today. Give us your thoughts on that match.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, huge congrats to Carlos. Deserved this win today. He was the better player from the beginning till the end.

I tried to fight my way in the third and come back, saving three match points, extending really the match a little bit. But I guess it was inevitable for him to win today because he was just coming out on the court with a better quality tennis. It's as simple as it is.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Is there anything you could have done differently tactically today against Carlos to affect the outcome of the match?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't think so, honestly. You can always analyze the match, of course, after and say, I could have done this or that.

Just overall the way I felt on the court today against him, I was inferior on the court. That's it. He was a better player. He played every single shot better than I did.

I don't think I could have done something much more. Try to pump myself up maybe, yes. Get the crowd involved. That's what was happening in the third. That got me going a little bit.

Yeah, he wasn't also allowing me to have much of a free points on my serve. He was reading the serve. He was playing with a lot of variety.

I've never seen him serve that way, to be honest. 136. Maybe I was missing something this tournament, but I've never seen him serve that fast. He must have had a really good serving practice day yesterday (smiling).

Yes, overall he really outplayed me.

Q. Comparing this match to the final you played last year, how different did you feel and how different did he feel as an opponent?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know how he felt. He's going to answer that.

Obviously I felt better last year. I started 6-1. It was first Wimbledon final for him. For me it was ninth. I felt like I had the better start. Had a set point. Missed a relatively easy backhand in the rally in the second set tiebreak, 5-1 that set. Maybe things could be quite different in the end of the match.

Again, I lost in an epic five-set match that we went toe-to-toe. This year it was nothing like that. It was all about him. He was the dominant force on the court and deserved to win.

Q. Does it feel different? Does that make it different rather than feeling it's because you haven't played well?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. As I said in the previous answer, I mean, I really think he just was better than me in every aspect of the game: in movement, in the way he was just striking the ball beautifully, serving great, everything.

I did all I can to prepare myself for this match and this tournament in general. If someone told me I would play Wimbledon finals three, four weeks ago, I would take it for sure. Where I was three, four weeks ago, where I am now...

Of course, I do feel disappointed. It's a bitter taste to lose the finals the way I did today. If has to be a success in the end of the day with me and my team playing Wimbledon finals and losing to the best player of the tournament without a doubt. That's all I can say.

Of course, I can always be self-critical, which I am. I can always find the flaws, which I can already see. Things that I maybe should have executed better.

I don't think that would change too much the course of the match, to be honest. From the very beginning, you could see he was at least half a step better than I am in every way.

Q. How much did that first game of the match, the 20-point epic, set the tone for what followed? Can I ask what you said at the end? You said to your coaches and your family at the end, I love you guys, let's keep going. Is your hope and intention to be back here next year?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, the first game was incredible. One of the longest first games I've ever played.

Yeah, you're right, that set the tone. I think he was coming out from the blocks ready to battle and ready to play his best level right away, which wasn't the case last year where I started better, had a comfortable first-set win.

Today, from the first point, he was there, he was ready. That's all I can say in terms of that.

Yeah, let's keep it going because I still keep going. I still have intentions to play Olympic Games, hopefully have a chance to fight for a medal for my country. On a completely different surface obviously, going back to the place where I got injured some weeks ago. Let's see.

Let's see how physically and mentally I'm going to feel. Hopefully I can find the right tennis 'cause I'm going to need all I have and more to go to the final of the Olympic Games.

As far as coming back here, I mean, I would love to. I don't have anything else in my thoughts right now that this is my last Wimbledon. I really want to play at least whatever. I don't know.

I don't have any limitations in my mind. I still want to keep going and play as long as I feel like I can play on this high level.

Q. A month after knee surgery, how fit are you? Is that the first time that lack of preparation time affected you out on court today?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, it could be really. Of course, my preparation for Wimbledon wasn't as I would have it normally, usually or commonly to prepare myself. There was hindrance obviously because of the injury. I had to kind of create a hybrid program of training between the rehab, specific exercises for the knee, and the actual pre-Grand Slam fitness training and tennis training.

Yeah, that probably had an effect, particularly in the opening rounds. But as the tournament progressed, I felt better and better. I reached the finals. Some matches I played some really good tennis. Some matches I kind of battled my way through.

But yeah, today I saw that I was just, as I said, half a step behind him in every sense. That's the reality that I have to accept at the moment. Hopefully things can be different next time I play him.

Q. Given that this all happened I think 39 days after the operation, how does it make you feel about the rest of the summer and what's coming in terms of what you might be able to accomplish?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, the Olympic Games and US Open are the two big goals for the rest of the year for me really. I'm hoping I can be at my best on those two tournaments, yeah. That's all I can say right now.

I mean, being able to reach the finals of Wimbledon, of course, it's a great confidence boost. But I also feel like in a matchup today against best player right now in the world for sure, I mean, other than Jannik, and both of them are the best this year by far, I feel like I'm not at that level.

In order to really have a chance to I guess beat these guys in Grand Slam latter stages or Olympics, I'm going to have to play much better than I did today and feel much better than I did today.

I'm going to work on it. It's not something I haven't experienced before ever in my life. I've had so many different experiences throughout my career. In the face of adversity, normally I rise and I learn and get stronger.

That's what I'm going to do.

Q. What did it meant to you to have the Princess of Wales there today? What did you say to her, and what did she say to you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, it was of course a privilege to be in her presence again. I've said to her that it is very nice to see her in good health. She seems to be in good health. That's obviously very positive news for everyone in this country but also for Wimbledon, for Championships to have Her Royal Highness here, of course with her family members. It's amazing. It's incredible support they've been giving over the years to this tournament.

I know that she and her sister have played tennis for a very long time. So they truly respect, admire the game. They also understand tennis, which is great. It's wonderful to have that kind of support from the Royal Family.